Multi-center phase II study of FLOX for advanced colorectal cancer patients in Japan: SWIFT 3 study

This is a multicenter phase II study to assess the efficacy and toxicity of the 5-FU, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (FLOX) (SWIFT 3) regimen in Japanese patients with advanced colorectal cancer (CRC).

Fifty-two patients were enrolled and evaluated from 12 institutions. The median age was 66 years, with 40.4% of patients with colon cancer and 59.6% with rectal cancer.

Forty-one patients underwent chemotherapy for first-line therapy and 11 patients for second-line. The response rate for first-line was 46.3% and that for second-line was 9.1%. The response rates categorized by metastatic sites were 59.4% for liver, 33.3% for lung, and 22.2% for lymph nodes. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 21.2% and Grade 3/4 non-hematologic toxicity in 46.1%. There were no deaths within 60 days following the administration.

Standard FLOX regimen can be administered for Japanese patients. It is suggested that FLOX is an appropriate option for adjuvant therapy in CRC.